Centrifuges are devices with which containers can be subjected to centrifugal force. In the laboratory, for example, suspensions in test tubes can be treated in this way in order to precipitate the floating solid material at the bottom of the test tube. As a rule, centrifuges have a rotary drive with a vertical drive shaft, on which a rotor can be placed. Normally provided in the rotor are compartments, into which containers which are to be centrifuged can be inserted. The rotors of the centrifuge are often interchangeable, in order to centrifuge vessel contents in one of the rotors while other rotors are only just being loaded with containers, or can be ready for further processing together with containers already centrifuged.
Since, for example, test tubes are pushed into the rotors so as to be open at the top, operational reliability is served, inter alia, by keeping the containers in a liquid-tight chamber during the centrifuging in the rotor. On the other hand, this chamber should be accessible as well as possible for the purpose of simple loading. Since, in particular in the laboratory, a number of actions are often carried out at the same time and the centrifuges nevertheless have to be closed carefully, it is particularly advantageous to be able to use devices having as few actions as possible, having as little actuating movement as possible and, if at all possible, operationally reliably with only one hand. In this regard, known centrifuges need improvement.